The Greatest Gift of All
by Tomahawk41
Summary: A birthday gift for my friend Shadow Heart Alchemist. Been a while since I've done one of these, huh?


It was a cool, crisp night in late August, as Taylor sat on a large stone looking up at the night sky, the breeze slowly ruffling her wings. It was the night of her birthday, but she felt like something was missing. The problem was, she didn't know just WHAT was missing. All she knew was that it was something that no material gift would ever do for her. So she continued to look up at the sky, thinking about what she wanted.

Then, someone came up to her side; a young woman with short brown hair and lightly-tanned skin. "Hi there, birthday girl," she smiled. "What'cha doing out here?"

"Oh, hey Molly," Taylor smiled slightly. "Just...thinking."

"About what?"

"Well, I've had a great birthday this year," Taylor explained. "But for some reason, it feels like something's still missing from it...something that would just REALLY make my day all the more memorable."

"Hmm..." Molly rubbed her chin. She noticed Taylor was holding onto something; a picture of her with a tall young man in a baseball cap and jersey. A tear was forming in her eye. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Yeah," Taylor nodded sadly. "It's been so long since I've seen him...I hope he hasn't forgotten about me."

"Oh, Taylor," Molly said in a motherly tone, pulling Taylor into a gentle hug. "Tom would never forget about someone like you, sweetheart. Believe me, I've talked with him, and he still holds you in very high regard. That tells me that he'd never forget about you, even after all that's happened."

"You think so?" Taylor asked.

"No, she knows so," came a deep, gentle voice from behind. Taylor and Molly turned around and saw the same man from Taylor's picture, standing with one hand in his pocket, and a smile on his face.

"T...Tom?" Taylor said, confused. "Is that...?"

"Long time, no see, kiddo," Tom smiled.

Taylor jumped off the stone and slowly went up to Tom; she had to pick her head up just so she could look into his eyes, seeing that she only came up to his chest. She opened her mouth once, but then closed it...and opened it again.

"Go on, Taylor, say something!" Molly said excitedly.

"H...hello, Tom," Taylor said nervously, fumbling with her hands. "Yeah...it HAS been a while, hasn't it?"

"Mmm-hmm," Tom nodded.

"U-umm...Molly?" Taylor turned to Molly. "Could we speak with each other...a-alone?"

"Oh, sure," Molly nodded before ruffling Taylor's long, blonde hair. "Happy Birthday!" She passed by Tom as gave him a quick pat on the arm, saying, "Good to see you, Tom."

"Same here, Miss Molly," Tom said right back with a smile. Then, he turned his attention to Taylor. "Well, well...another year older, huh, Tay? Didja do anything special?"

"Well, Molly took Edward and me out to Disneyland for the day," Taylor said. "It was a lot of fun! Though, Edward tried to punch Goofy out because he accidently teased him about being short."

"D'aww, poor Ed," Tom shook his head. "Always the butt of the short jokes...though, I can feel for him, considering I get teased for being so tall sometimes."

"Yeah," Taylor giggled. "But...it just feels like something's been missing from my birthday today. I just can't put my finger on it, though..."

"Really?" Tom asked. "I'm sure you'll find it eventually. But anyway..." Tom dug into his pocket and pulled something out. "I wanted to give this to you...to make up for all the years I've missed your birthday."

Tom took Taylor's hand and placed whatever he was holding in her plam, closing it around her. Taylor re-opened her hand, and looked to see that it was a pendant shaped like a large, flaming basketball with a pair of red socks in the center. "Oooh, wow! This is incredible!" Taylor bubbled, taking the pendant and putting it around her neck. "Thank you so much, Tom!"

"It's no trouble," Tom replied. He rubbed his wrist nervously as he said, "Taylor, I want to apologize to you for missing all your previous birthdays. It's just..."

"Tom, you don't need to apologize to me for that," Taylor said suddenly, taking Tom's big hands. "I know you missed them before, but I can understand why you did...things just happened. You couldn't help it, and neither could I. All that matters is that we're here now...together at last."

The big author looked into Taylor's eyes for a brief moment...and nodded slowly. "Yeah," he said. "The past is what it is...and what matters more than anything is that we're together again. Maybe that's what you've been missing this birthday."

The young author thought for a moment...and her eyes lit up almost instantly. "You're right," Taylor gasped. "This IS what I've been missing...seeing an old friend again. I never thought about that until now."

Tom smiled. "Even after all that's happened, and after all the time we've been apart, here we are now. Nothin' or nobody's ever gonna come between us again; and I wouldn't want it any other way."

Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes, as did Tom's, as the bigger author crouched down and embraced his friend warmly. "I've missed you sooooo much," Tom whispered.

"I've...I've missed you, too...Papa T," Taylor said between happy sobs.

"I know, Taylor...I know," Tom nodded. "Shh, shh...it's okay, kid, I'm here for you..."

As the two continued to embrace each other, they didn't notice that Molly was watching from a distance, with Mario and Edward Elric on either side of her.

"Wow...wouldn't you know it," Edward smiled. "Two old friends, reunited after a long time apart from each other. It really tugs at your heartstrings..." Edward put his hands over his chest to prove a point.

"But-a what I don't-a get is how Tom-a knew to come-a here," Mario scratched his head in curiousity.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that, Mario," Molly winked coyly.

Mario looked puzzled for a moment...but smiled, as though he caught on to something. "That was a great-a thing you did, Miss-a Molly," he said.

"Yeah," Edward nodded.

Molly ran a hand through her dark hair and smiled as Tom and Taylor leaned back on the rock together and looked out at the stars. She smiled as she sang a soft tune...

**If we hold on...toge-e-ther...**

**I know our dreams...will ne-ver die...**

Mario removed his cap and placed it over his heart, as Edward rubbed the back of his head.

**Dreams see us though, to fore-e-ver...**

**As high, as souls can fly...**

**The clouds roll by...**

A shooting star danced across the night sky before fizzling out and exploding into tiny, multicolored crystals. Hundreds upon thousands more joined them.

**For you...and...I...**

Amidst the array of shooting stars, Taylor looked Tom in the eyes and smiled. "Thank you...thank you so much, Tom," she said softly. "You've made me so happy this birthday!"

"That's what friends are for," Tom responded warmly as he wrapped his arm around his friend. "Happy Birthday, Taylor."

Molly, Edward, and Mario came out from hiding and stood behind the two, watching the brilliant display in the sky.

* * *

_**To my dearest friend, Taylor (or Shadow Heart Alchemist)...I would like to wish you nothing but the absolute best for your birthday. May all your wishes come true, and may happiness continue to follow you long after your birthday has come and gone.**_

_**Your friend, forever and always,**_

_**Tom**_


End file.
